


take me back

by BananasofThorns



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hopeful Ending, Hurt/Comfort, how we feelin boys, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:14:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29789718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BananasofThorns/pseuds/BananasofThorns
Summary: Tommy is dead. The SMP mourns.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Ranboo & Technoblade & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Toby Smith | Tubbo & Technoblade, TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF) & Everyone
Comments: 13
Kudos: 207
Collections: Completed stories I've read





	take me back

**Author's Note:**

> [title from The Night We Met - Lord Huron]
> 
> im coping

The snow feels deeper than usual as Ranboo trudges home from the portal. He pulls his cloak tighter around his body like that can warm the numbness scraping at his chest. Tears are frozen to his face atop the water burns, but he can’t bring himself to wipe them away. He hasn’t stopped crying since Sam told them. The pain is a small but welcome comfort; it keeps him from slipping entirely away into his head.

He hadn’t wanted to leave Tubbo, but Puffy and Jack and Foolish are with him, and besides— who else is going to tell Techno and Phil? Who else is going to tell them that Tommy is dead, and that he’s not coming back?

Ranboo digs his claws into his arms to fight back a fresh wave of tears. The windows of Techno’s cabin glow orange in the tundra and he stumbles his way there, swaying with the wind. Usually, he can keep himself from getting blown off-course, but not today. Not right now.

He can’t bring himself to knock when he reaches the door, but Techno always leaves it unlocked when both he and Phil are home, so it doesn’t matter. His fingers feel numb as he curls them around the doorknob.

He steps inside.

Techno and Phil’s conversation stops as they turn to look at him. Ranboo pretends not to notice the way Techno’s hand relaxes; he’d been reaching for a weapon. That’s fair. 

“Ranboo?” Phil asks softly. Concerned. “What’s wrong, mate? What happened?”

Tears well up again. “Tommy—”

A sob chokes off the end of his sentence and he collapses to his knees beside the door. Techno and Phil exchange a worried look as Phil stands.

“Ranboo?”

Ranboo shakes his head, a hand clapped over his mouth to muffle his wails, too ghast-like to be fully human. Phil kneels beside him. His hands are raised like he wants to comfort, but he keeps his distance. Techno hovers to the side, face blank but eyes conflicted.

“Is this about—”

“Dream  _ killed him,” _ Ranboo says. Static clings to the edges of his words. “He— Dream killed him. He’s...he’s dead, Phil. Tommy’s dead.”

Phil rocks back on his heels and it’s only Techno’s hand on his shoulder that keeps him from falling completely. His eyes are wide and ancient and shining with tears, but he doesn’t cry.

“Oh,” he whispers.

Ranboo hugs his knees to his chest as tight as he can. He digs his claws into his arms until it hurts, even through his sleeves. “I’m sorry.”

“‘S not your fault,” Techno says roughly. “We all saw who did it.”

“I didn’t think it’d be permanent,” Phil murmurs. His eyes have gone distant, now, but he still hasn’t allowed the tears to fall. Ranboo wishes he could do the same. “I saw the message and I didn’t— I knew he was on his last life, but I didn’t think—”

“I know,” Ranboo agrees quietly. “I know. Tubbo and I didn’t believe Sam when he told us.”

“You think I’d be used to this by now,” Phil says with a bitter smile. “Death. Losing people.”

Ranboo hums. His tears have dried, for now. He doubts it’ll last long. “I don’t think you ever get used to losing someone.” He sighs. “I should...I should go. I’m sorry.”

He starts to stand. Phil catches him gently around the wrist and he freezes, eyes wide. When Phil smiles, it’s weak, but Ranboo doesn’t blame him.

“Stay here for tonight, mate. He was your friend, wasn’t he? You shouldn’t...you shouldn’t be alone right now. Grief is always worse when you’re alone.”

Ranboo slumps back down onto the ground, leaning into Phil’s side before he can stop himself. Phil wraps an arm around his shoulders; he squeezes his eyes shut as more tears trail down his face. They don’t even hurt anymore.

“I’ll be back,” Techno mutters after a moment of silence. “Don’t wait up for me.”

His cloak shifts. The door opens and closes, and then he’s gone.

Ranboo lifts his head slightly. “Is he—”

Phil presses his lips together. “He just needs some time.”

+++

Nobody questions it when Technoblade and Philza arrive at Tommy’s funeral. A grave is not a good place to start a fight; this is something they all know, and so they stay silent, and their anger fades away when they see the slump of Phil’s shoulders. He looks like he had in the days after Wilbur’s death, before Ghostbur had appeared and he had pushed his grief aside. With his wings and his charcoal grey robes, it looks like the Reaper itself has come to mourn.

Beside him, Techno is as inscrutable as always, but a bundle of asphodels is clutched tightly in one of his hands. Silently, he adds it to the pile of flowers atop Tommy’s grave: Eret’s lilies, Jack’s dahlias, Niki’s foxglove, Sam’s hyacinths, Puffy’s gladiolus, Ranboo’s forget-me-nots, Tubbo’s poppies.

“Rest well, Theseus,” he murmurs, so quiet that only Ranboo and Tubbo, the closest to the grave, hear.

He turns to leave. Tubbo stops him with a hand on his forearm; Techno’s hand clenches, but he doesn’t reach for his sword.

“Thank you, Technoblade,” Tubbo murmurs.

Techno stares down at him. After a long moment, he replies, “For what? I didn’t do anythin’.”

Tubbo shrugs. When he smiles, his eyes are far too old for someone as young as he is. The burn scar on his face stretches, and Techno looks away.

“You hid him from Dream for as long as you were able,” Tubbo says simply. “That has to count for something, right?”

Techno pulls his arm away, not ungently. “Perhaps.”

+++

_ “Hey, Tommy. C’mon, sit down, sit down. Rest awhile, man. You look like you need it.” _

_ “What the f—” _

_ “Welcome to the afterlife, big man.” _

_ “I died?” _

_ “Well, I mean, you’re here, aren’t you?” _

_ “But—” _

_ “To be honest with you, though, I don’t think you’ll be here long.” _

_ “What the fuck’s  _ that _ supposed to mean?” _

_ “It’s different for me and Schlatt, obviously, but for you - this place is like a rest stop, man. So you can catch your breath before they bring you back.” _

_ “They’re gonna—” _

_ “Well, obviously. I mean, there’s a reason your presence here doesn’t feel very permanent.” _

**Author's Note:**

> I like to imagine that Ranboo sounds more like an enderman when he's angry/distressed and more like a ghast when he's sad/mourning
> 
> flower language:  
> Asphodels (Techno) - remembered beyond the tomb, my regrets follow you to the grave  
> Lilies (Eret) - often associated with death; humility and devotion  
> Dahlias (Jack) - change, betrayal, dishonesty, sadness  
> Foxglove (Niki) - insecurity, to heal or hurt  
> Hyacinths (Sam) - (specifically purple hyacinths) sorrow for a wrongful act, asking for forgiveness, deep regret  
> Gladiolus (Puffy) - strength of character, moral integrity, never giving up  
> Forget-me-nots (Ranboo) - these are pretty self-explanatory, but for Ranboo specifically, he put them there as a promise to not forget Tommy and their friendship, short though it was  
> Poppies (Tubbo) - death and remembrance, remembering those fallen in battle, sleep. They can also mean (the promise of) resurrection.


End file.
